Another point to consider on the "high" price of the new group of SLSA
aircraft is that those buying, examples being private pilots looking
(not) forward to the day thay can no longer maintain a medical and
FBOs using them for training and rental is ...

Many pilots will hold PPC with IA, and will want an airplane with
appropriate avionics and other equipment.

The FBO can rent these puppies for somewhat less than a Symphony,
Katana, or Liberty (what other new 2-place training suitable models
are in production?), but only if equipped as the renters would want.
For a Sport Pilot to have an overequipped plane would add to his
rental cost, but add much rental opportunity to the FBO. It would
also allow them to use these in RP and PP training, although older
Cessnas and Pipers (etc) may still be a lower cost option.

Perhaps the (current $) costs will drop SLIGHTLY after those wanting a
model fully equipped have purchased them. As others have pointed out,
barebones models have been advertised in the $60k range.

Ford and Chevy sell very few barebones equipped vehicles ... but they
can be ordered. Their used values seem to fall further and faster
than the moderately equipped brothers.

"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
>
> "GeorgeB" > wrote
>>
>> Ford and Chevy sell very few barebones equipped vehicles ... but they
>> can be ordered. Their used values seem to fall further and faster
>> than the moderately equipped brothers.
>
>
> I'll carry your illustration one step further.
>
> If the need is for a bare bones work truck, the extras are not needed. If
> you plan on deeping the barebones until the wheels fall off, the used
> value
> is of no importance.
>
> The bare bones aspect can be a bonus, because if there are no extras to
> break, there are no upkeep and repair costs for those missing items.
> --
> Jim in NC

No kidding about that. In general, it is the auxiliary systems on a vehicle
that cause its sale or retirement. I can't think of a single auto or truck
in my circle of family and friends that was retired because of a failed
engine or transmission. And we're talking about a people who know how to
squeeze lots of miles out of a vehicle. However, once power windows, door
locks, A/C, emission controls, expensive stereo's, sunroofs, alternators,
master cylinders, water pumps, and other auxiliaries start failing in
series, it's time to cut your losses...

KB

I have been reading several topics commenting on the high cost of
SLSAs, and I don't think I've seen anything about the impact of the
weak dollar on the cost of the airframes. When the Light Sport
Aircraft idea first took hold, the Euro cost about $.85; now it's gone
up about 50%. Since all of the "modern" LSA designs are European, it's
no wonder the prices are astronomical. If the Euro still traded at
$.85, we'd be able to buy a very nice SLSA for about $60,000 (Rans
still advertizes an S-6ES for $57.500, but I have been told by a
company officer they have no intention of building this A/C.) Today,
it's more like $90.000 + avionics for the "serious" players. This
isn't all just greed driving these prices - it's international
economics!

"GeorgeB" > wrote
>
> Ford and Chevy sell very few barebones equipped vehicles ... but they
> can be ordered. Their used values seem to fall further and faster
> than the moderately equipped brothers.


I'll carry your illustration one step further.

If the need is for a bare bones work truck, the extras are not needed. If
you plan on deeping the barebones until the wheels fall off, the used value
is of no importance.

The bare bones aspect can be a bonus, because if there are no extras to
break, there are no upkeep and repair costs for those missing items.
--
Jim in NC

"Willard" > wrote

> Today,
> it's more like $90.000 + avionics for the "serious" players. This
> isn't all just greed driving these prices - it's international
> economics!

How true. Perhaps some US manufacturer will get up to speed, and make
something we (and the FBO's) can afford. I'm betting on Van's.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:

> If the need is for a bare bones work truck, the extras are not needed. If
> you plan on deeping the barebones until the wheels fall off, the used
> value is of no importance.

When I bought my barebone F150 in 1986, I wasn't too concerned about resale
value. Drove it to town yesterday, and the wheels stayed put.




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"bowman" > wrote

When I bought my barebone F150 in 1986, I wasn't too concerned about resale
> value. Drove it to town yesterday, and the wheels stayed put.

Same with my '87 3/4 ton Chevy van. It has been rebuilt when necessary
(including a tranny 2 years ago at OSH) but after 265 K miles, it will still
do the heavy load pulling and carrying that I expect of it.

The same can apply to a LSA, (where the thread started) with a basic model
holding up to the rigors of training, and many hours of flying. They don't
have to have tons of bells and whistles, for a sport pilot. Go punch holes
in the sky, and practice maneuvers and landings, and sometimes go someplace.
No IFR stuff needed.
--
Jim in NC

Morgans wrote:

> The same can apply to a LSA, (where the thread started) with a basic model
> holding up to the rigors of training, and many hours of flying. They
> don't have to have tons of bells and whistles,

There does seem to be a lot of expectations that don't seem to me to fit the
'sport' category. I learned on a Lark back in the '80s, and I think the
plane was old enough to vote. Pumping the brakes up on final is part of the
procedure, isn't it? I don't remember a bell and the whistle was the stall
warning.

It had navcoms that I could, in theory, use but other than for instruction
never did. Most of the time, I was just riding around northern Vermont
navigating by the lakes and mountains and thoroughly enjoying myself.

I lost interest, and many years later when I heard about the sport pilot
certificate my first though was 'that describes what I expect to do
perfectly' and it certainly doesn't require any more complexity that was
current in 1920.





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